Benedict Cumberbatch
He has had three nicotine poisonings because of his role
Benedict Cumberbatch gives everything for a role.
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Benedict Cumberbatch smoked so much for his new role that he practically poisoned himself.
Benedict Cumberbatch (45) poisoned himself three times for his new film “The Power of the Dog”, as he said in an interview with “Esquire UK”.
“That was really tough,” said Cumberbatch of his role as a chain-smoking cowboy, where he would have smoked filterless cigarettes in every scene. “I’ve poisoned myself with nicotine three times. When you have to smoke a lot, it’s really terrible.”
“I wanted that layer of stink”
His self-sacrificing acting methods didn’t stop there. For his role as Phil Burbank, Cumberbatch also stopped washing himself: “I wanted that layer of stink on me. I wanted the people in the room to know how I smell.” That didn’t just apply to rehearsals and shooting: “I wanted to go out to eat and meet Jane’s friends and all that …” He was also embarrassed in front of the cleaning staff, said Cumberbatch.
But he also discovered a passion through film: playing the banjo. “I really wanted to be world class with the banjo. And I’m absolutely not. I’m very far from it.” In return, he noticed how good it was to play during the breaks on set. “It takes away my constant nervous energy. It’s slightly antisocial, but well. I don’t have to stand around the coffee pot every time I roll it.”
The film should be shown on Netflix from December. In addition to Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst (39) and Jesse Plemons (33) also play.